Leah is wele to anything she'd like。 All of you are。〃
〃I'll pass that along。〃
〃Leah hates us。〃
〃So？〃
〃So try to pass it along in such a way as to make her consider it； if you don't mind。〃
〃I'll do what I can。〃
〃And then there's the matter of clothes。〃
I glanced down at the ones I was wearing。 〃Oh yeah。 Thanks。〃 It probably wouldn't be good manners to
mention how bad they reeked。
He smiled； just a little。 〃Well； we're easily able to help out with any needs there。 Alice rarely allows us to
wear the same thing twice。 We've got piles of brandnew clothes that are destined for Goodwill； and I'd
imagine that Leah is fairly close to Esme's size___〃
〃Not sure how she'll feel about bloodsucker castoffs。 She's not as practical as I am。〃
〃I trust that you can present the offer in the best possible light。 As well as the offer for any other physical
object you might need； or transportation； or anything else at all。 And showers； too； since you prefer to
sleep outdoors。 Please。。。 don't consider yourselves without the benefits of a home。〃
He said the last line softly—not trying to keep quiet this time； but with some kind of real emotion。
I stared at him for a second； blinking sleepily。 〃That's； er； nice of you。 Tell Esme we appreciate the； uh；
thought。 But the perimeter cuts through the river in a few places； so we stay pretty clean； thanks。〃
〃If you would pass the offer on； regardless。〃
〃Sure； sure。〃
〃Thank you。〃
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I turned away from him； only to stop cold when I heard the low； pained cry from inside the house。 By
the time I looked back； he was already gone。
What now？
I followed after him； shuffling like a zombie。 Using about the same number of brain cells； too。 It didn't
feel like I had a choice。 Something was wrong。 I would go see what it was。 There would be nothing I
could do。 And I would feel worse。
It seemed inevitable。
I let myself in again。 Bella was panting； curled over the bulge in the center of her body。 Rosalie held her
while Edward； Carlisle； and Esme all hovered。 A flicker of motion caught my eye； Alice was at the top of
the stairs； staring down into the room with her hands pressed to her temples。 It was weird—like she was
barred from entering somehow。
〃Give me a second； Carlisle；〃 Bella panted。
〃Bella；〃 the doctor said anxiously； 〃I heard something crack。 I need to take a look。〃
〃Pretty sure〃—pant—〃it was a rib。 Ow。 Yep。 Right here。〃 She pointed to her left side； careful not to
touch。
It was breaking her bones now。
〃I need to take an Xray。 There might be splinters。 We don't want it to puncture anything。〃
Bella took a deep breath。 〃Okay。〃
Rosalie lifted Bella carefully。 Edward seemed like he was going to argue； but Rosalie bared her teeth at
him and growled； 〃I've already got her。〃
So Bella was stronger now； but the thing was； too。 You couldn't starve one without starving the other；
and
healing worked just the same。 No way to win。
Blondie carried Bella swiftly up the big staircase with Carlisle and Edward right on her heels； none of
them taking any notice of me standing dumbstruck in the doorway。
So they had a blood bank and an Xray machine？ Guess the doc brought his work home with him。
I was too tired to follow them； too tired to move。 I leaned back against the wall and then slid to the
ground。 The door was still open； and I pointed my nose toward it； grateful for the clean breeze blowing
in。 I leaned my head against the jamb and listened。
I could hear the sound of the Xray machinery upstairs。 Or maybe I just assumed that's what it was。 And
then the lightest of footsteps ing down the stairs。 I didn't look to see which vampire it was。
〃Do you want a pillow？〃 Alice asked me。
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〃No；〃 I mumbled。 What was with the pushy hospitality？ It was creeping me out。
〃That doesn't look fortable；〃 she observed。
〃S'not。〃
〃Why don't you move； then？〃
〃Tired。 Why aren't you upstairs with the rest of them？〃 I shot back。
〃Headache；〃 she answered。
I rolled my head around to look at her。
Alice was a tiny little thing。 'Bout the size of one of my arms。 She looked even smaller now； sort of
hunched in on herself。 Her small face was pinched。
〃Vampires get headaches？〃
〃Not the normal ones。〃
I snorted。 Normal vampires。
〃So how e you're never with Bella anymore？〃 I asked； making the question an accusation。 It hadn't
occurred to me before； because my head had been full of other crap； but it was weird that Alice was
never around Bella； not since I'd been here。 Maybe if Alice were by her side； Rosalie wouldn't be。
〃Thought you two were like this。〃 I twisted two of my fingers together。
〃Like I said〃—she curled up on the tile a few feet from me； wrapping her skinny arms around her skinny
knees—〃headache。〃
〃Bella's giving you a headache？〃
〃Yes。〃
I frowned。 Pretty sure I was too tired for riddles。 I let my head roll back around toward the fresh air and
closed my eyes。
〃Not Bella； really；〃 she amended。 〃The。。。 fetus。〃
Ah； someone else who felt like I did。 It was pretty easy to recognize。 She said the word grudgingly； the
way Edward did。
〃I can't see it；〃 she told me； though she might have been talking to herself。 For all she knew； I was
already gone。 〃I can't see anything about it。 Just like you。〃
I flinched； and then my teeth ground together。 I didn't like being pared to the creature。
〃Bella gets in the way。 She's all wrapped around it； so she's。。。 blurry。 Like bad reception on a TV—like
trying to focus your eyes on those fuzzy people jerking around on the screen。 It's killing my head to watch
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her。 And I can't see more than a few minutes ahead； anyway。 The。。。 fetus is too much a part of her future。
When she first decided。。。 when she knew she wanted it； she blurred right out of my sight。 Scared me to
death。〃
She was quiet for a second； and then she added； 〃I have to admit； it's a relief having you close by—in
spite of the wetdog smell。 Everything goes away。 Like having my eyes closed。 It numbs the headache。〃
〃Happy to be of service； ma'am；〃 I mumbled。
〃I wonder what it has in mon with you。。。 why you're the same that way。〃
Sudden heat flashed in the center of my bones。 I clenched my fists to hold off the tremors。
〃I have nothing in mon with that lifesucker；〃 I said through my teeth。
〃Well； there's something there。〃
I didn't answer。 The heat was already burning away。 I was too dead tired to stay furious。
〃You don't mind if I sit here by you； do you？〃 she asked。
〃Guess not。 Stinks anyway。〃
〃Thanks；〃 she said。 〃This is the best thing for it； I guess； since I can't take aspirin。〃
〃Could you keep it down？ Sleeping； here。〃
She didn't respond； immediately lapsing into silence。 I was out in seconds。
I was dreaming that I was really thirsty。 And there was a big glass of water in front of me—all cold； you
could see the condensation running down the sides。 I grabbed the cup and took a huge gulp； only to find
out pretty quick that it wasn't water—it was straight bleach。 I choked it back out； spewing it everywhere；
and a bunch of it blew out of my nose。 It burned。 My nose was on fire。。。。
The pain in my nose woke me up enough to remember where I'd fallen asleep。 The smell was pretty
fierce； considering that my nose wasn't actually inside the house。 Ugh。 And it was noisy。 Someone was
laughing too loud。 A familiar laugh； but one that didn't go with the smell。 Didn't belong。
I groaned and opened my eyes。 The skies were dull gray—it was daytime； but no clue as to when。
Maybe close to sunset—it was pretty dark。
〃About time；〃 Blondie mumbled from not too far away。 〃The chainsaw impersonation was getting a little
tired。〃
I rolled over and wrenched myself into a sitting position。 In the process； I figured out where the smell
was ing from。 Someone had stuffed a wide feather pillow under my face。 Probably trying to be nice；
I'd guess。 Unless it'd been Rosalie。
Once my face was out of the stinking feathers； I caught other scents。 Like bacon and cinnamon； all
mixed up with the vampire smell。
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I blinked； taking in the room。
Things hadn't changed too much； except that now Bella was sitting up in the middle of the sofa； and the
IV was gone。 Blondie sat at her feet； her head resting against Bella's knees。 Still gave me chills to see
how casually they touched her； though I guess that was pretty braindead； all things considered。 Edward
was on one side of her； holding her hand。 Alice was on the floor； too； like Rosalie。 Her face wasn't
pinched up now。 And it was easy to see why—she'd found another painkiller。
〃Hey； Jake's ing around！〃 Seth crowed。
He was sitting on Bella's other side； his arm slung carelessly over her shoulders； an overflowin